The names you'll find here are musicians whose artistic ability - genius, in some cases - has dwarfed their limited commercial success. So don your white robes and join us as we count down the 20 gods of cult.

15

Born Steven John Hamper in 1959, Childish is an English artist, painter, author, poet, photographer, filmmaker, singer and guitarist.

He is loved by Graham Coxon: "I watched Thee Headcoats play at St John's Tavern [in Archway, London] in the mid-'90s. That was long before I met Billy – I think Thee Headcoats were coming to an end by the time I...

10

When we were putting together this issue, everyone in the NME office argued about who should be in this list. Nearly everyone said Sparklehorse. Then when Mark Linkous passed away the doubters joined them in agreement.

Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood was certainly never a doubter: “I was very sad to hear the news that Mark Linkous had died. He and his...